This invention relates generally to the field of telephony, and more particularly to improved individual subscriber circuit protector modules of a type adapted to engage connector blocks which interconnect such subscriber circuits to in plant equipment. Devices of this general type are known in the art, and the invention lies in specific constructional details which permit low overall cost of manufacture, ease of assembly, and the provision of a family of modules, the individual members of which are adapted to meet the requirements of individual telephone systems.
At the present state of the art, the original carbon arc electrodes which provide an air gap to a point of ground potential have been substantially replaced by gas tubes which provide excess voltage surge protection in a more reliable manner. Current overload protection has been traditionally provided by heat coils which melt a fusable element thereby actuating a resiliently urged grounding component.
For many protector module installations, available space limitations have precluded the use of heat coils which are substituted by wire fuses or solid state protection. Many new connector block installations use blocks having front administered insulation displacing clips, commonly referred to as quick clips, such blocks being devoid of means for mounting conventional protector modules. It is known in the art to provide protector modules of miniaturized dimensions which directly engage such protector blocks. Typical of such blocks is that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,512,622 granted Apr. 23, 1985 to William V. Carney, et al., and assigned to the same assignee as the present application. The device disclosed in this application is equipped with conventional pin type modules which require additional space, and are not readily accessible from the front of the block.